I am. It's an interesting thing, really, as much as it is fucked up. I've spent a lot of time studying it in school. I'm such a nerd.
The gay community is still very closeted in Japan. Even for all the openness they have towards new-halfs (trans people). There is still a lot of stigma towards being gay and a lot of people don't come out for fear of being discriminiated against at work. It seems that it's only okay if you are so completely flamingly gay that it's funny. IKKO is kind of like that in my opinion, sometimes. That's how it used to be at least, where all the gays wore sequins and feathers and were more feminine than women (a little like Johnny's? LOL) That trend is starting to change, I think, but there still is a lot of unacceptance.
Most of my Japanese friends who are gay aren't out to their parents or coworkers. One American guy I even know (who's married to Japanese man) isn't out to his company becuase he doesn't want to be discriminated against, even though I think it's pretty generally accepted that "it's okay if you're foreign." My best friend isn't out to his host family either, though he's pretty sure they would be okay with it and they've known him for 10 years. People go to Ni-Chome (the gay area in Tokyo, in Shinjuku) on the weekends and go clubbing and have relationships with men but they won't tell anyone who isn't in their gay circle. Japanese society is so pigeon-holed (and pigeon-holing) that people don't (and won't) mix social circles so that it is quite easy to get away with having a whole cache of gay friends and no one ever knowing about it. It is starting to change though. One friend of mine wants to set up a gay club (or gay-straight alliance type thing) at his university and he's really open about his sexuality.
Yeah... so this was kind of a giant rambly post that doesn't really make sense. Basically, it's starting to become more accepted but it's still in the baby stages. There is a lot of prejudice still, but I think the age of being disowned by your parents and fired from your company is over. I hope, at least. Although, despite being gay, the societal pressures to get married to a woman and have children is still so strong that they will and want to get into a hetero marriage becuase that's what they are "supposed" to do and it would make mom and dad happy to have grandkids. But they'll still go to Ni-Chome on the weekends and sleep with men on the side because Japan doesn't have a problem with adultery. At least for men. For women, I'm not so sure that it would be okay. Though, even in 16th century England, the idea of being a lesbian was unheard of -- women couldn't be so deviant.
Alright, I'll stop now. Does that even help you at all? I'm still sleepy for my 5 hour nap. Which was probably a very bad idea.
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The gay community is still very closeted in Japan. Even for all the openness they have towards new-halfs (trans people). There is still a lot of stigma towards being gay and a lot of people don't come out for fear of being discriminiated against at work. It seems that it's only okay if you are so completely flamingly gay that it's funny. IKKO is kind of like that in my opinion, sometimes. That's how it used to be at least, where all the gays wore sequins and feathers and were more feminine than women (a little like Johnny's? LOL) That trend is starting to change, I think, but there still is a lot of unacceptance.
Most of my Japanese friends who are gay aren't out to their parents or coworkers. One American guy I even know (who's married to Japanese man) isn't out to his company becuase he doesn't want to be discriminated against, even though I think it's pretty generally accepted that "it's okay if you're foreign." My best friend isn't out to his host family either, though he's pretty sure they would be okay with it and they've known him for 10 years. People go to Ni-Chome (the gay area in Tokyo, in Shinjuku) on the weekends and go clubbing and have relationships with men but they won't tell anyone who isn't in their gay circle. Japanese society is so pigeon-holed (and pigeon-holing) that people don't (and won't) mix social circles so that it is quite easy to get away with having a whole cache of gay friends and no one ever knowing about it. It is starting to change though. One friend of mine wants to set up a gay club (or gay-straight alliance type thing) at his university and he's really open about his sexuality.
Yeah... so this was kind of a giant rambly post that doesn't really make sense. Basically, it's starting to become more accepted but it's still in the baby stages. There is a lot of prejudice still, but I think the age of being disowned by your parents and fired from your company is over. I hope, at least. Although, despite being gay, the societal pressures to get married to a woman and have children is still so strong that they will and want to get into a hetero marriage becuase that's what they are "supposed" to do and it would make mom and dad happy to have grandkids. But they'll still go to Ni-Chome on the weekends and sleep with men on the side because Japan doesn't have a problem with adultery. At least for men. For women, I'm not so sure that it would be okay. Though, even in 16th century England, the idea of being a lesbian was unheard of -- women couldn't be so deviant.
Alright, I'll stop now. Does that even help you at all? I'm still sleepy for my 5 hour nap. Which was probably a very bad idea.